Various kinds of electronic equipments are mounted on a vehicle. Wire harnesses are installed in the vehicle so as to transmit electric power and control signals to the electronic equipments. The wire harness comprises a plurality of wires and connectors secured to end portions of the wires. The connector comprises metal terminals electrically connected to the end portions of the wires, and a connector housing having terminal accommodating chambers for respectively receiving the metal terminals. This connector of the wire harness is fitted to a connector of the electronic equipment, and transmits electric power and the control signals to this electronic equipment.
As one example of the above connector, there is known a connector 101 (see PTL 1) as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 which comprises two metal terminals 2 electrically connected respectively to end portions of wires 5, a connector housing 103 for receiving these metal terminals 2, and a spacer 104 which is inserted into the connector housing 103 through an opening 105 formed in an outer wall of the connector housing 103, and holds the two metal terminals 2, thereby preventing the metal terminals 2 from withdrawal from the connector housing 103.
The connector housing 103 includes retaining reception portions 107 for respectively retaining retaining portions 106 of the spacer 104, and two terminal accommodating chambers 109 for respectively receiving the two metal terminals 2. The two terminal accommodating chambers 109 are formed by a plurality of outer walls of the connector housing 103 and a partition wall 110 dividing an internal space defined by these outer walls. The two terminal accommodating chambers 109 are arranged side-by-side in a direction perpendicular to a direction of insertion of the metal terminals 2 into the respective terminal accommodating chambers 109. The opening 105 is formed in the outer wall facing the two terminal accommodating chambers 109. In order that the spacer 104 can be received in the connector housing 103, that end portion of the partition wall 110 disposed close to the opening. 105 is removed or notched. With this construction, the two terminal accommodating chambers 109 communicate with each other at their portions disposed close to the opening 105.
The spacer 104 includes a body portion 111 for holding the two metal terminals 2, the retaining portions 106 for retaining engagement with the respective retaining reception portions 107, and insertion ports 108 for the insertion of a jig 200 thereinto so as to remove the spacer 104 from the connector housing 103. For removing the spacer 104 from the connector housing 103, the jig 200 is inserted into the insertion port 108, and then is brought down to prize the spacer 104 out as shown in FIG. 5.